San Francisco Earthquake took 700 lives and cost over $4,000,000 in damage.

Average worker made $12.98/week for 59 hours

Life expectancy: 47.3 female, 46.3 male - 33.0 blacks

A New Century

1901 Teddy Roosevelt is President

Work projects for farm youth organized; the name '4-H' adopted in 1913.

Founding chief of the United Stated Bureau of Animal Industry, Daniel E. Salmon, DVM is best known for identifying his namesake pathogen, Salmonella, and pioneering the fight against infectious diseases. A member of Cornell University ‘s first entering class, Salmon received his veterinary degree in 1876. Among his other accomplishments in the field of infectious disease, Salmon demonstrated that bovine tuberculosis is transmissible to man.

Of gainfully employed persons, 38 percent were engaged in agriculture.

The Future President Truman on the Farm

in the early 1900's

Mendel's work on heredity rediscovered. That's kind of interesting, isn't it...what's the story about why it had to be "rediscovered"? I'll try to find out for you.

The biggest change by far ...both for the veterinary profession and for our culture at large at the turn of the century...is the replacement, first in industry and then in cities, and finally in the countryside...of horses and mules with cars, trucks, tractors, and motors.

Starting in the 1890's, humane societies rejoiced that electric street cars were ending the cruel drudgery that was the lot of the street car horse. By 1907, animal powered street cars, stagecoaches, and omnibuses had almost ceased to exist in American cities. Even with the high demand for horses in World War 1, the horse industry collasped and unwanted horses in the hundreds of thousands were yearly slaughtered for glue and leather. The slaughter continued throughout the 1920's, with much of the meat being used for the new industry of canned dog food.

The vast majority of turn of the century veterinarians were really horse doctors with minimal training in food animals or pets ...there wasn't much demand.

Anyhow, the collaspe of the horse industry followed by a severe depression in farming in the 1920's followed by the general depression of the 1930's almost wiped out our fledging profession. Indeed, almost all private and many new State veterinary schools or programs...including the one at Harvard and in my own state of South Carolina... closed down or never succeeded in getting fully started.

Between 1914 and 1924, the total number of veterinary students fall by 75%! In 1921, the 29 surviving veterinary schools graduated a total of about 275 new veterinarians. (For you yankees, that's less than 10 each on average)

What saved the profession was the government effort involving thousands of veterinarians...led by the Bureau of Animal Industries...in our fight to combat major diseases plaguing our food animals and in the quest to satisfy consumer demands (mostly led by women's activists groups) for wholesome milk, poultry, eggs, and meat products.

By 1920, about 10% of all vets are working full time for the BAI and about 50% of the remaining vets receive significant part time pay for their contract work doing official BIA work at local farms. To this day, almost all vets from American veterinary schools take a federal test administered by the successor to the BAI and in theory we are all prepared to recognize, report, and aid in the control of any critical disease outbreak (MadCow, Anthrax, etc) or be called in the defense of our country's food supply in the event of bioterrorism.

On This Page:

Veterinary Time Line: 1900 - 1910:

A continuation of our time line with interesting events relating to veterinary medicine in the United States

Discussion about problems related to the reproductive tract such as uterine infections, False Pregnancy, lack of milk, Infection of the mammary glands and trouble giving birth. But also fun stuff like new born care. Aso about undescended testicles.

Albert Einstein announces theory of relativity which will lead to the development of nuclear energy and warfare

1906

Pure Food and Drug Act passed.

Meat Inspection Act passed.

The passage of the above two acts were a major event in our country's history. They were the result of much political debate and controversy over the deplorable state of filthy slaughter houses, numerous articles, a major example of early "investigative journalism", the topic of the famous book "The Jungle" by Sinclair Lewis, and most significantly a victory for mostly female activists demanding wholesome milk and meat for their families. It also helped that President Teddy Roosevelt was fully behind the political push for these acts despite the resistance of Armour Meats and other major and politically influencial packing houses.

These acts were hugely significant to the veterinary profession as a major source of employment and government funds to study animal disease.

It's also my contention...as an aside...that these early political successes by women's activist groups in fighting for wholesome foods were a direct precursor to their future successes in gaining the vote, prohibition, entry into the professions, and other major cultural changes in the following decades. Yea.

Developed live-virus vaccine for hog cholera.

28-hour law required humane care of livestock in interstate shipment.

First caterpillar tractor powered by gasoline engine produced by Holt Company. (Note; this invention would lead to the development of the tank and would play a major role in winning the Great War.)

Albert Einstein announces theory of relativity which will lead to the development of nuclear energy and warfare

1906

Pure Food and Drug Act passed.

Meat Inspection Act passed.

The passage of the above two acts were a major event in our country's history. They were the result of much political debate and controversy over the deplorable state of filthy slaughter houses, numerous articles, a major example of early "investigative journalism", the topic of the famous book "The Jungle" by Sinclair Lewis, and most significantly a victory for mostly female activists demanding wholesome milk and meat for their families. It also helped that President Teddy Roosevelt was fully behind the political push for these acts despite the resistance of Armour Meats and other major and politically influencial packing houses.

These acts were hugely significant to the veterinary profession as a major source of employment and government funds to study animal disease.

It's also my contention...as an aside...that these early political successes by women's activist groups in fighting for wholesome foods were a direct precursor to their future successes in gaining the vote, prohibition, entry into the professions, and other major cultural changes in the following decades. Yea.

Developed live-virus vaccine for hog cholera.

28-hour law required humane care of livestock in interstate shipment.

First caterpillar tractor powered by gasoline engine produced by Holt Company. (Note; this invention would lead to the development of the tank and would play a major role in winning the Great War.)

The first practical preventive measure, injection of anti-hog-cholera serum and then the virus, was successfully tested in 1907 by the BAI Field Station near Ames, site of many later advances in hog cholera research.

Dr. Dorset, Dr. McBryde, and W.B. Niles found that serum from the blood of immune hogs conferred immunity lasting only a few weeks to other hogs. But injection of the BAI hyperimmune serum plus injection of virus gave lifelong protection against hog cholera to most hogs.

A system of swine sanitation named for McLean County, Ill., where BAI developed it in 1927, became a valuable adjunct in immunization against cholera by this method. The system, developed primarily to prevent roundworm infestation of hogs, also reduced incidence of filth-borne intestinal diseases. Serious side effects were produced when hogs with even low-level intestinal infections were immunized against hog cholera.

Department scientists realized that a control method involving use of the live virus offered no hope for eradicating hog cholera. So they began work toward a protective vaccine made with killed virus. Research of Drs. Dorset and McBryde, and C.G. Cole at Ames culminated in the development of the crystal violet killed vaccine in 1935.

An initial problem of contaminants in the vaccine was overcome when F.W. Tilley patented a procedure 10 years later for preparing a consistently sterile crystal violet vaccine.

Scientists long sought reasons why this and later improved vaccines did not confer immunity to some hogs. The problem was partly solved in 1949 with the discovery of a variant of the hog cholera virus. Antiserum against both types of virus was needed for protection.

Researchers in Iowa meanwhile had learned much about the transmission and persistence of the hog cholera virus. They found that the virus is present in the circulating blood of the sick animal and also in the various secretions and excretions. The virus remained active throughout the winter in carcasses of cholera-infected hogs buried in the fall, and unburied carcasses of infected pigs remained infectious for 11 weeks during cold weather.

Contrary to popular belief at one time, pigeons did not prove to be carriers of hog cholera virus, although transmission by crows and buzzards was not ruled out. Extensive experiments at Ames demonstrated conclusively that the house fly and stable fly are capable of transferring the cholera virus from sick to well pigs. Prevalence of biting flies and incidence of hog cholera correlated closely during the years of the study.

1908

In 1908, Leonard Pearson, VMD reported the first U.S. cases of Johne‘s disease (bovine paratuberculosis ), which is highly contagious and causes chronic diarrhea and wasting in infected cattle. An 1890 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Pearson eventually became full professor and then dean of the institution. In addition to his advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Johne‘s disease, Pearson also contributed to the domains of agriculture, livestock breeding and - as a prolific writer - veterinary literature.

In 1908, Congress authorized the Remount Service, which was to procure horses, condition them, provide initial training, and issue them to using units. Before that time, horses and mules for Army use had been purchased by the Quartermaster Department under contract after advertising for bids. This practice had been quite unsatisfactory in that it resulted in getting too many older horses, many in poor physical condition. The first remount depot was at Fort Reno, Oklahoma. The Front Royal, Virginia, Depot was opened in 1911.

The principle function of the Remount Service during peacetime was to procure, process, train, and issue horses, mules, and dogs (1942-1948) for military use and to train personnel in animal management. It was also responsible for purchase of forage for these animals. Another function of the Remount Service was that of supervising the Army horse breeding program designed to raise the quality of horses.

The Remount Service's principle functions during war were to supply replacement riding horses and the draft animals required to haul ammunition, water, food, and heavy artillery and to evacuate the wounded. Motorization and mechanization in the 1930s reduced the need for animals, but did not make them completely obsolete.

This little conflict was the first time the US Army used airplanes, truck convoys, and Harley Davidson Motorcycles in Combat

Boys Scouts started in the USA

Fashion

The period between 1901-1910 is often called the Edwardian Era after Queen Victoria's successor, King Edward VII. Sophisticates and the French also refer to this time as La Belle Epoque, or "Beautiful Age," as there was a definite leaning toward classical aesthetics. It was an era of beautiful clothes and the peak of luxury living for a select few: the very rich and the very privileged through birth.

In retrospect we can see it is an era very separate from the 20th century despite belonging at its start. The attitudes and lifestyles of two decades were swept away by war and because the war was so huge in its impact, a new socialism and sense of personal identity was born. The masses started to reject the concept of privilege as the reason for a better life. Clothes worn after 1915 could probably be worn today in certain circumstances, but clothes before then are more in tune with the elaborate clothes of 1770 and would only be seen today at a costumed event or as bridal wear.

Paris was the absolute mecca of the fashion world, Picasso was in his blue and pink period, the Wright brothers were making aviation history, and San Francisco was devastated by an earthquake in 1906. Photography reached a heyday and the first narrative film, 'The Great Train Robbery' (1903) was released.

EDUCATION

The decade brought progressive education. Annual teacher pay during this decade was $325.

At the University of Chicago laboratory school the first elementary school was founded by John Dewey.

Italian educator and physician Maria Montessori became known for her new teaching method.

High schools had become popular 20 years before and junior high schools were a few short years away.

The biggest problem was population growth because of the influx of immigrants to America. Teacher education improved during this decade and testing became the norm. In 1900 the Association of American Universities was formed to promote high standards among colleges.

Philanthropists like Rockefeller, Phelps-Stokes, and others encouraged the education of

Afro-Americans, but the South and part of the North continued the practice of racial segregation in education.

Mary McLeod Bethune, Educator opened the first Negro Girls School.

HISTORIC EVENTS AND TECHNOLOGY

Many changes during this time were brought about through advances in technology. The turn of the century decade began one of transition and progress and is considered the first decade of materialism and consumerism. The Industrial age was in full swing, mass production made prices fall to all time lows. Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalogs were read more than any book other than the bible. Teddy Bears became a fad started from a cartoon of a bear with Teddy Roosevelt (Letter's to his Children) (1902) and were mass produced in 1905. During this decade, safety in food processing and the environment became issues and laws were enacted. There were hundreds of job openings for a typewriter secretary. Radio broadcasts and transportation, especially automobiles, ships, and trains, changed the way people viewed their world.

During this decade the Wright Brothers made their first flight at Kitty Hawk, the first cross country auto trip took 52 days (love this site). During this decade the Louisiana Purchase Exposition opened in St. Louis and people flocked to see it. Cadillac (the best link I found is in German - ja!) was founded and Henry Ford provided the first affordable car ($700-900). The Sunday drive became a national pastime. The Jim Crow laws segregated national baseball during this decade and Negro baseball teams remained until the early 60s..

The Presidents were McKinley, [assassinated in 1901] Roosevelt, and Taft.

JUST A LITTLE OVER

HUNDRED YEARS AGO.......

The year is 1902 , just a little over hundred years ago ... what a difference a century makes.

Here are the U.S. statistics for 1902:

1. The average life expectancy in the U.S. was forty-seven (47).

2. Only 14 Percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.

3. Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

4. There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S. and only 144 miles of paved roads.

5. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

6. Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

7. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

8. The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents an hour.

9. The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

10. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

11. More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home.

12. Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

21. One in ten U.S. adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

22. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

23. Eighteen percent of households in the U.S. had at least one full-time servant or domestic.

24. There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

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